Volvo Malaysia To Tap Off-Road Market For Heavy Duty Trucks

KUCHING, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Volvo Malaysia Sdn Bhd is looking at expanding the market for its heavy-duty Renault trucks in Sarawak's off-road segments.

Its Managing Director, Eric Leblanc, said the company was exploring the state's logging, mining and dam construction industries as niche markets for the trucks.

Leblanc, who is also Managing Director of Renault Trucks Malaysia said Volvo Malaysia has, todate, sold 300 heavy-duty trucks in Sarawak, mainly for rough logging trails and other off-road use.

"We are also exploring the potential of selling specialised Renault trucks for the use in the Petronas gas pipeline project from Kimanis, Sabah, to Bintulu, Sarawak, the Bakun hydro electric dam and coal mines in Kapit and Mukah," he told reporters after launching the latest Renault trucks here today.

The Volvo Group, a world leading provider of commercial transportation solutions and manufaturer of trucks, buses and construction equipment, teamed up with Renault Trucks in 2001.

With the strengthening of Renault Trucks in the country, Leblanc said customers would be spoilt for choice with a wide range of trucks with prices retailing from RM280,000 to RM600,000 per unit.

The Volvo group garnered 42 per cent of the Malaysian market for 16-tonne trucks and above. It was number one in Europe and second in the world.

Leblanc added that Volvo Malaysia planned to replace, nationwide, some 200 units of "ghost trucks," which are customised trucks rebuilt from scrap, with the low-fuel consumption Renault Trucks.